School asking daughter to remove small cross despite religious symbols policy

[FanFckingTastic]

I'm looking for some advice and thoughts!

DD is 15 and at secondary school. She has always worn a small silver cross - at primary school this was never an issue (it was a church school) Up until this point it's not been an issue at secondary school either. The cross is very small and is tucked into her shirt so you would have to be really looking for it in order to see it. She always removes it for PE etc.

Last Monday her head of year saw the cross and asked her to remove it. My daughter replied that it was her cross, and that she didn't want to. She was then approached and asked to remove it every day for the remainder of the week, with increasing threats of sanctions if she didn't comply with the schools 'no jewelry' rule. My daughter kept reiterating that this was her cross, and asked the teacher to speak with me. Finally on Friday I received an email to tell me that my daughter needed to take her cross off.

I completely understand the new jewelry rule but wonder how this sits alongside the responsibility that the school has under the equalities act 2010. In their uniform policy it states that it will 'allow pupils to wear headscarves and other religious or cultural symbols' I would interpret this to include a cross too?

My daughter wears her cross as a sign of her faith and really wants to continue to do this.

Has anyone come across this situation before? If so, what was the solution?

Maybe share this https://christianconcern.com/ccpressreleases/christian-nurse-sacked-for-wearing-cross-necklace-wins-legal-case/ then threaten Ofsted, I suspect they will back off quite quickly.

What if she wore a wooden one on a lanyard?

But there is a manifest unfairness if something like this is introduced once a child is at the school. If you sign up to it knowing it's there (or not checking) that's very different to a new rule that restricts the child's faith.

It’s not compulsory to wear head coverings either

@SapphireSeptember

You mentioned the majority of people now are Atheists.
Only 7%-9% of the world population are confirmed Atheists. There are people with no religion but still have faith in a higher power. The huge increase in the sale of bibles in the UK by 134% in the past 6 years are due to purchases made by Gen Z. Interesting 🤔

It's fairly common for schools to change policies - you may send your child to a secondary that has a relaxed approach to uniform, then there's a change in leadership or they academise or just a switch to a tightening up of policies and suddenly it's all kids need a £50 blazer they can only remove with the permission of the headteacher during heatwaves.

I expect the school don't want the drama of lost jewellery

Or stolen jewelry

Why should she have to hide it though? We are a Christian country after all….

We were a Christian country when I was growing up ,but now people take offence at crosses and flags ..times have changed.
Maybe that's behind the schools policy

Wondered how far down your post it would be until I saw the "but headscarves! " comment.

Everyone one should be free to represent their faith openly and safely. The schools should decide on a single item like a lapel pin that is allowed under school uniform rules. I wouldn’t take my Cross off, it’s very important to me but I would change it to a lapel pin in such a setting.

I am a Christian and do not need outwards signs of my faith. We witness by how we behave.

A no jewllery rule, particularly things like necklaces, pendants and bracelets, is quite good at school because chains break and jewellery is lost. Stud earrings not so bad.

Your daughter must obey the school rules, it's not difficult. If she, and you, feel that strongly about wearing a cross, find a faith school for her.

But she argued back at the staff?

I think you need to make sure that anything she wears (cross on a necklace, brooch etc aren't displayed visibly).

Her faith is for her. There's no place for religion in schools so she does not need to display religious symbols openly.

I'm not aware of any Christian sect that requires you to display a symbol of your faith. Certainly not an item of jewellery

My DC were at Catholic schools from age 5-18. The very strict uniform policies specified no jewellery apart from small plain studs in pierced ears and that included no crosses. When Muslim girls joined the school in 6th form they were allowed to wear headscarves because some Muslims consider this an important part of their faith.

Why does it have to be on display. Can she wear it but under her shirt so it’s not on show?

Head scarves are also not a compulsory requirement

I attended a Catholic school, we weren't allowed to wear crucifixes/cross on a necklace either because of the jewellery policy. It is a piece of jewellery, it doesn't make any difference to the faith if you wear one or not. I say this as i sit wearing my own now, not wearing it doesn't make her any less devoted to her faith than wearing it. It is not a requirement of the christian faith. I think you need to follow the jewellery policy and not wear it during school.

To be fair, lots of jewellery these days have crosses on as a trend so maybe they think she’s using that as an excuse.

Not saying she is though!! Agree with PP maybe worth getting something from vicar/priest, although it seems a bit pedantic lol x

If it was tucked into her clothing, how did the HoY see it?.

I haven't had this but I would speak to the school and see if I could reach any kind of compromise. They are clearly willing to make exceptions and I don't think it would be wrong for you to try to show that it's a long-standing symbol for your daughter, not something she has just started doing and that doesn't have any meaning to her.

What health and safety concerns does a small cross on a chain throw up?

Why do they see symbols as inherently exclusionary?

Jewellery is not a symbol of faith at all and not comparable culturally to hijab or a kippah.
Take it off during school hours. Simple.